1. The Field of the Invention
This invention relates to integrating electronic devices and, more particularly, to novel systems and methods for integrating services provided by personal music players and mobile phones.
2. The Background Art
The use of mobile telephones and other wireless communication devices has increased dramatically in recent years. Likewise, electronic music players, such as MP3, CD, DVD, and like players have proliferated. Some companies have attempted to integrate music players and mobile two-way communication devices into single devices. While integration may reduce the number of devices a user is required to carry, a user may unnecessarily discard devices that are still fully functional, incurring unnecessary expense.
With respect to music players and mobile phones, various conflicts may arise when attempting to operate independent devices simultaneously. For example, users may listen to portable music players while exercising, traveling, working, relaxing, and performing like activities. However, users may desire to simultaneously place and receive phone calls, activities that may be inherently difficult to perform while listening to music or other audio material. For example, a user may be unable to hear a phone ring while listening to music using headphones, earphones, or the like. Moreover, if a user is able to accept a call, the user may be required to remove headphones, reduce the volume of or mute a music player, pick up a mobile phone handset, or like actions, in order to accept or place a call. This may be an excessively clumsy process.
What is needed is apparatus and methods for users to simultaneously accept and place phone calls using a mobile phone or other two-communication device while listening to music, or other audio material using an independent audio delivery device.
What is further needed is apparatus and methods to integrate the services of substantially any arbitrary two-way communication device with substantially any arbitrary music or audio delivery device.